Conventional apparatus for producing and dispensing adhesive-backed labels include: (i) a device for printing information/symbology on the face of a label supply, i.e., a web/spool of a label face/liner material, and (ii) a cutting apparatus for stripping the label face/liner material from the web/spool i.e., to produce a single adhesive-backed/lined label. While some of the label producing apparatus provide a stack of individually-printed labels ready for an operator to remove the liner (also referred to as the “backing material”), other label fabrication systems (oftentimes including a device known as “peeler bar”) automatically separate the face material from the liner to provide an application-ready label. With regard to the former, it will be appreciated that the stack of labels facilitates application thereof at a subsequent time or at a remote location, i.e., not within the immediate vicinity of the label producing apparatus. However, the operator is tasked with removing the adhesive backed label from the liner at the time of application which can be a laborious/costly operation. With respect to the former, it will be appreciated that the automated system for stripping the adhesive-backed label face from the liner can be complex, and does not provide the operator with the option of applying the label at a remote location. That is, an operator must apply individual labels immediately upon label dispensation.
Mailing machines are devices which may include a label fabrication and/or dispensing system for the purpose of applying postage to mailpiece envelopes. These machines often include an option to print and dispense postage indicia/franking symbology either; (i) directly on the face of a mailpiece envelope, or (ii) on an adhesive-backed label which can, thereafter, be applied to the mailpiece envelope. With respect to the latter, the option to print a postage indicia/franking label is often selected when the surface contour of the mailpiece envelope is irregular and printing directly on the face may result in a distorted image. Examples include envelopes having irregularly shaped content material, or those including a liner or layer to protect fragile content material (“bubble-wrap” protection).
These options are accommodated by a print station having at least one print head which is moveable, along rails or guides, from one feed path to another. In one operating mode, the print head is positioned in the feed path of a sealed/completed envelope to print on the face of the envelope, and, in another operating mode, the print head is positioned directly over the feed path of a supply/spool of label face/liner material. Once printed, the label is cut, accumulated and/or dispensed in one of two operating modes. In one operating mode, the label dispensing system produces application ready labels, and in another operating mode, the system produces a plurality of lined labels.
Label dispensing systems may receive a supply of label material which is pre-cut, i.e., a supply which includes a plurality of kiss-cuts between each printed label (a cut through the face material without severing the carrying liner material), or a label supply which is un-cut. When the supply is un-cut, the label dispensing system includes a cutting apparatus to produce the necessary kiss-cuts such that labels of variable length may be produced. While label dispensing systems capable of producing a kiss-cut provide greater flexibility with respect to the size of labels produced/dispensed, the cutting apparatus must be remain highly accurate and reliable, over multiple cutting cycles, to prevent severing the liner material. That is, the cutting apparatus must be manufactured to high tolerances and perform reliably over many usage cycles. Accordingly, these cutting apparatus add significant cost to the label dispensing system and/or may adversely impact the function of the label dispensing system, i.e., when the cutting apparatus severs the liner material such that an operator must re-thread the label supply through the various rollers of the label dispensing system.
In addition to the various shortcomings associated with conventional label fabrication/dispensing systems, mailing machines introduce the added complexity of printing currency on the labels which are fabricated. That is, inasmuch as the label fabrication systems commonly associated with mailing machines print currency, these systems must be highly reliable to prevent the operator from incurring additional cost as a result of a torn or damaged postage indica/franking label. It will be appreciated that, once debited from the vault of the mailing machine, a damaged or improperly printed/dispensed postage label cannot be easily/immediately credited without being validated by an authorized source, e.g., a Postal Authority.
A need, therefore, exists for a system and method for fabricating/dispensing adhesive-backed postage labels which (i) accommodates multiple operating modes, i.e., application ready and lined postage labels, (ii) produces postage labels of variable length, (iii) eliminates cutting apparatus required to produce kiss-cuts, and (iv) minimizes complexity for added reliability.